richsilver

Surprising no-one from BPH has been on this thread to counteract the slating it's getting. Doesn't look good for them staying silent on this.

When was the last time you saw any business owner respond to comments on Thai Visa? Most of them don't bother to read these forums.

Where did you bring in the car? Was your dealer aware of the update?

I have a similar issue with the Focus I bought last October here in Pattaya, but I'm concerned that if I take in the car and ask for the update, they will have no idea what I'm talking about.

They have something similar at the Outback in Bangkok (top floor of the Siam Discovery Center) and, a better one I think, at Tony Roma's (bottom floor of Siam Paragon and at Terminal 21).

This Sunday (April 28) Khun Waraporn Brand-Srinaka, head of Bangkok Bank’s Global Payment Services
department--Expat Banking Project, will talk to the Pattaya City Expat's Club.
She will talk about personal banking in Thailand, from how to open a bank account,
to on-line banking, to investment strategies. Khun Waraporn will also bring
along a number of staff members from Bangkok, as well as several branch
managers from the Pattaya area. They will be available for questions before and
after the meeting.

The meeting is held at the Tavern by the Sea on the grounds of the Amari Orchid Resort and Tower at
the very northern end of Beach Road. Free parking is available and the hotel is
right on the baht bus route. The meeting is free and is open to all. A buffet
breakfast is available for purchase from 9-11 and the meeting begins at 10:30
and ends about noon.

I have the first (six months) oil change for my new Ford Focus coming up next week here in Pattaya.

Do I have to call for an appointment or do I just go in? Anyone know the number of the Ford service department in Pattaya?

I stopped in to the AIS Serenade at Central Chidlom in Bangkok this morning. A customer service rep took my phone (Galaxy Note 2) and a copy of my passport.

He entered a bunch of stuff in his computer and some into my phone.

I currently have a 350 baht per month 3G plan (I'm a pre-paid) user. He told me this plan would be fine with the new 3G and everything will be automatic when the service begins next month. I will get an SMS and will have to re-start my phone.

That's all! It took about 10 minutes.

I have heard nothing but good things about Zenni and I was ready to order from them, but there was no way for me to pay! They would not accept my American MasterCard or Visa as I live in Thailand and the billing address is in the US. They would not accept my Bangkok Bank Visa debit card. They would not accept a bank transfer.

I do not have a Pay Pay account. Any ideas how I can pay them?

Every Monday now East Tapas Lounge in the Jomtien Complex (the former Pagoda) features an all you can eat buffet.

I went yesterday with two friends and can report it was very good indeed. I dined entirely on salads and finger food: bacon wrapped dates, rare roast beef on French bread, mini potato pancakes with sour cream and smoked salmon, heavenly potato salad, mini spicy hamburgers, chicken satay, mini baked potato, bacon wrapped small potato, macaroni salad, mixed salad, prawns, hard boiled garnished eggs. They had a variety of hot food as well, but I was content with the delicious variety of the starters. The deserts didn't look very exciting to me.

The price is 390 nett. They start serving at 7, I recommend a reservation (089 005 0012).

In fact, there many restaurants that appear to be doing just fine: Sam's, Oscar's, Cafe Ritz, L'Arc, Sunrise Tacos, East Tapas Lounge, Claudio, Spring Onion, L'Olivier, Oley, Antz, Pizzeria Italia, Dick's Cafe, . I'm sure I'm forgetting some. The Complex is really quite active and lively at night.

"It is also known that 16 or 17th is Bang Saen the 18th is a fixed
date for Naklua and 19th a fixed date for Pattaya, however every year
they start throwing water in Pattaya in the afternoon of the 11th and
continue with that untill the 19th."

There may be a few people who begin throwing water on the 12th, but I have lived in Pattaya now for 10 years and I can assure you that the Songkran festivities do not begin until the morning of the 13th. And they end on the 19th in the evening. I have never seen one drop of water on the 20th and hardly any before the 13th.

Every year we have this discussion and every year the answer is the same, but there are always those who make unsubstantiated claims. Songkran is a three day national holiday starting from April 13 (every single year!), but some localities (like Pattaya) have a special "water day". Since Pattaya's is on the 19th, people continue to celebrate on the 16th, 17th and 18th.

"A search in the TV database will show you that each year they start on the 11th in Pattaya"

Can you please tell us what is the 'TV database' and show us exactly what shows them starting on the 11th?

I bought my new Focus in Pattaya last October. I just got the white plates last week.

I believe every noun has a classifier. As has been pointed out, the classifier can be the noun itself, but there is always one. Sometimes there are many classifiers for the same same noun like bottles of beer, kegs of beer, glasses of beer or reams of paper, sheets of paper bundles of paper.

A good dictionary will list classifiers along with the nouns and of course you should memorize them along with the noun the same as you would memorzie the gender of a noun in French or Spanish.

I have a partially clogged bathroom sink drain. I have a package of Mr. Muscle drain declogger beads, but the directions are completely in Thai. What is the correct way to use this product?

I have a partially clogged bathroom sink drain. I have a package of Mr. Muscle drain declogger beads, but the directions are completely in Thai. What is the correct way to use this product?

Sorry I was not more specific. I have a cat and I am looking to buy a scratching post and a carrier. Where can I get these?

I would like to find a pet shop near Jomtien.

I'm not looking to park for free. I expect to pay, but would like something easy to get to (like Silom Complex). Any info there?

Silom Complex is not easy to get to, it's in one of the busiest parts of Central Bangkok - hence the suggestion that you park on the outskirts of Bangkok - like Bangna - and use the BTS to get into town.

Patrick

Silom Complex is very easy to get to. Off the expressway onto Rama IV, left on Saladaeng, right on Saladaeng 1. There is sometimes a holdup getting off the expressway, otherwise it is quick, except during the rush hour. I have gone this route many times by taxi.

I love the idea of being in a modern complex where I can grab a bite to eat and get on the BTS or MRT without going out in the weather. However, I have never actually been in the garage and that's why I am posting. Does it fill up in the morning? Is it expensive? Is there validation?

I'm not looking to park for free. I expect to pay, but would like something easy to get to (like Silom Complex). Any info there?

The MRT issues an "Elder Card" which gives you a discount of about 40% on fares. I believe the age is 65. You can get one at any ticket office.

The BTS has a senior discount too, but it's only for Thais.

I am planning to drive into Bangkok from Pattaya for a day of shopping.

This will be my first time driving in Bangkok. I know my way around, but would prefer to park right away and use the BTS/MRT for the day.

So I am looking for a garage that is reasonable, say for 8 hours, near the BTS and easy to get to from Rama IV. I was thinking of the Silom Complex.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

I don't know what you mean by the "brown book".

If I make a mistake on a posting and I wish to delete the post, is there no way for me to do this?

I am an advanced Thai learner, but far from fluent. I would like to improve my fluency by practicing one on one conversation for two or three hours a week.

I was going to ask a Thai neighbor, a young man with good English skills, to work with me doing this exercise. What do you think would be a fair amount to pay him?

Is it true that you are not supposed to drive at night or outside your province with red plates? If so, is this ever enforced?

I want to drive to Bangkok with red Chonburi plates. Am I taking any risk?

The correct pronunciation is tawng law. Partington is correct: it is the same vowel in both words (aw). I think the concept behind this particular transliteration system is that when you see an "or", you pronounce it like the English word or, but don't say the "r" at the end, hence "aw". I know it's a bit confusing.

There are many different transliteration systems of course and none of them is perfect. The best bet, of course, is to learn to read Thai. I have found it very helpful indeed.